Ultrasound – Sonography in Plantation, Florida

Knowing the facts about a process before scheduling a visit is crucial to the patient. So, what is an ultrasound?

Ultrasound imaging or sonography is a process that uses sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of the body. It is used to help diagnose the causes of pain, swelling, and infection in the body’s internal organs and to examine a baby in pregnant women and the brain and hips in infants.

Additionally, sonography is used to help guide biopsies, diagnose heart conditions, and assess damage after a heart attack. Ultrasound is safe, noninvasive, and does not use ionizing radiation.

This procedure requires little to no special preparation. Your ultrasound specialist will instruct you on how to prepare, including whether you should refrain from eating or drinking beforehand. Leave jewelry at home and wear loose, comfortable clothing. At some ultrasound clinics, you may be asked to wear a gown.

The Most Common Sonography Uses

Ultrasound examinations can help diagnose a variety of conditions and to assess organ damage after the illness.

Ultrasound is used to help physicians evaluate symptoms such as:

  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Infection

Sonographies are a useful way of examining many of the body’s internal organs, including but not limited to the following:

  • Heart and blood vessels, including the abdominal aorta and its major branches
  • Liver
  • Gallbladder
  • Spleen
  • Pancreas
  • Kidneys
  • Bladder
  • Uterus, ovaries, and unborn child (fetus) in pregnant patients
  • Eyes
  • Thyroid and parathyroid glands
  • The scrotum (testicles)
  • Brain in infants
  • Hips in infants
  • Spine in infants

Sonography Risks

Going to an ultrasound clinic shouldn’t carry any risks. Diagnostic ultrasound is a safe procedure. It uses low-power sound waves to get the needed results, and no known threats exist to this procedure.

However, the powers of ultrasound specialists have their limits. Sound waves aren’t capable of producing effective results in areas with gas or when going through bones. So, objects located very deep in the body may not be located.

In those cases, your ultrasound specialist will recommend other imaging tests. CT, MRI, and X-rays are more suitable for the job.

Please contact us today at (954) 370-7036, so we can help reduce your risk of long-term problems.

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